The Joker is the kind of comic book character who never gets old for fans. Everyone from Heath Ledger to Jack Nicholson to Jared Leto have all put their own spin on Batman's grinning nemesis.

He's almost as old as Batman, having made his comics debut in 1940. And this year, Joaquin Phoenix will present his own version of DC Comics' laughing psychopath in the upcoming Warner Bros. film Joker. With the film rumored to be given an R rating, it seems an adult version of the Clown Prince of Crime will take center stage.

Trailer - April - Face - Dark - Story

The first trailer, out April 3, puts on a perversely happy face, revealing a dark and potentially disturbing story...

Warner Bros gave some early hints about the film, describing it to Hollywood Reporter as an "exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale."

Genre - Phoenix - Interview - ComicBook - Com

"I wouldn't quite classify this as like any genre," Phoenix said in an interview with ComicBook.com in 2018. "I wouldn't say it's a superhero movie, or a studio movie. It feels unique. I think, underneath the excitement of these films, and the size of them, there are these incredible characters that are dealing with real life struggles. So I always felt like there were characters in comics that deserve the opportunity to be studied."

Here's the earliest released glimpse of Phoenix in the film.

September - Movie - Budget

Filming began in September 2018. The movie is rumored to be working with a roughly $55 million budget.

Who's making it?

Version - Joker - Todd - Phillips - Adult

This grown-up version of the Joker is co-written and directed by Todd Phillips, best known for adult comedies like The Hangover. Scott Silver, who wrote rap movie 8 Mile, is the other scriptwriter. And it's executive-produced by cinematic legend Martin Scorsese.

The film boasts a seriously impressive cast. Along with Phoenix, Joker also...